# My Custom Cigar Band Ashtray



## sh40218

I have kept every band from each cigar I smoke. Needless to say thats A TON of bands! I got this crystal ashtray at the thrift store for $1.50 and covered it with about $150-$200 worth of bands! LOL! I used this Crystal Clear Adhesive/Paste that worked really well. It's my first attempt but I think it turned out really well.

What do you think? Has anyone else done one like this or any other Cigar Band Collages?


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## David_ESM

Looks great, well done.


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## android

Cool! Well done.


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## meatcake

That is cool. Great idea man. Will have to track down some of those at thrift shops and start saving up my bands!


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## Stradawhovious

Very nice. Classy, functional, awesome.

Good work!


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## Dark Rose

Looks fantastic! Now the gears in my head are grinding out ideas...


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## IBEW

Looks great Bro, fantastic idea!


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## avitti

Very nice


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## Macrophylla

Very nice, where do you get the adhesive?


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## sh40218

Thank you everyone for all the nice comments. It took me awhile to sort through all my bands to pick out the ones
I wanted. Then less than 30min to apply them all. The Crystal Glaze I used is like a really nice Modge Podge and sets quickly so you have to work fast. You can find it at craft stores like Michaels, Jo Ann Fabrics and Ben Franklin
stores. Its kinda spendy for a one size bottle but it will cover a lot of projects. 

I'm working on a new collage now of a poster frame filled with bands, Ribbons and
stickers. Basically anything you would find on or in a box of cigars. My first old QI Mahogony 25ct humi is in the works too. More pics to come as I finish these things. 

Thank you everyone for your interests like me in everything cigar.


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## Stradawhovious

sh40218 said:


> Thank you everyone for all the nice comments. It took me awhile to sort through all my bands to pick out the ones
> I wanted. Then less than 30min to apply them all. The Crystal Glaze I used is like a really nice Modge Podge and sets quickly so you have to work fast. You can find it at craft stores like Michaels, Jo Ann Fabrics and Ben Franklin
> stores. Its kinda spendy for a one size bottle but it will cover a lot of projects.


Is that Crystal Glaze stuff waterproof for when you want to clean the ashtray?


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## TacticalComm

That looks great! I have been saving my bands for years but just haven't found the perfect project yet. This was a great idea


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## durbs

Looks great. How durable is it?


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## falconman515

Very Nice!!! 

I did a cigar band clock ... Love it.

This may be my next project (all my good bands are in my cigar journal so I guess I'm gonna need to smoke more this year to get me some more bands! )

Awesome ashtray brother ... I may PM you down the road for some further details.

Thanks for sharing. :tu


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## DarrelMorris

Very nice. This was a great idea.


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## GoJohnnyGo

Whats the brand name of this modge-podge like crystal sludge? I'd like to give it a go.


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## jhedrick83

Looks awesome!


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## sh40218

I was at a Goodwill store and found this 4 finger solid crystal ashtray. It's pretty heavy and well balanced so I think I'll have it for a long time. I included a pic of what I used and what I could of used. Modge Podge is great stuff but it has a satin or dull like finish and I wanted glossy so I used the Diamond Glaze. You apply them the same way and they dry fast and cure really well. Its not waterproof on it's own, but you can wipe it down with a wet rag and be fine, don't soak it or anything. I added a piece of black felt to the bottom to protect surfaces as well. Also if you can't tell from the pics they are glued to the bottom of the ashtray and you see them through the glass. There is nothing on the top of the ashtray to damage.

Thanks for admiring my work everyone. If you have any more Questions just ask them here or PM me. I would love to see some other peoples projects posted here or elsewhere on the forum.


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## Bondo 440

Totally Awesome. I'll have to try this


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## copper0426

that looks really good dude great idea


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## OldSkoolTarHeel

Awesome idea. I haven't smoked enough cigars in my lifetime to cover an entire ashtray. But it looks like fantastic!


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## JeepGuy

Thats really cool man! I too save my bands. I don't have very many since I am new to smoking but I've been trying to think of things to do with them in the future. Thanks for the idea!


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## BKlein

I have a ton of old bands and figured they'd come in handy some day. Thanks for a great idea!


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## V-ret

I like what you did there. I have a crystal astray as well and I'm pretty sure I know how I'm going to decorate it now. Thanks for the idea!


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## Tdogg41

Awesome idea! New to puff, but have something like 400 rings lying around, maybe I'll put some to good use and do this! Might PM you down the road too for steps!

Great work.


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## sh40218

Tdogg41 said:


> Awesome idea! New to puff, but have something like 400 rings lying around, maybe I'll put some to good use and do this! Might PM you down the road too for steps!
> 
> Great work.


Sounds great! I would love to help anyone out on a project like this. Maybe the next one I do will have some pics as I go through the steps. Lemme know what I can do to help even if you want a few bands from me that maybe you don't have already.


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## Herf N Turf

Great project. Got me wishing I hadn't recently thrown out about a thousand bands.

"Mod Podge". Sounds like my life.


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## Maverick7232

That ashtray is sweet, I'm going to have to try this as it sure beats my old rusted coffee can.


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## fuente~fuente

Good job! :dude:


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## sh40218

Herf N Turf said:


> Great project. Got me wishing I hadn't recently thrown out about a thousand bands.
> 
> "Mod Podge". Sounds like my life.


I'm sure I'm not the only one saving bands in the event that they will replace the US currency. If you want some great bands just PM me or maybe some other BOTL will offer you some bands in this thread.


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## HoserX

That's just awesomnessss Spenc. Way cool.


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## sh40218

Thanks Bill. I see I might have to make some
of these for BOTL per request. Lol


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## zgnombies

That is awesome. Looks fantastic.


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## Tdogg41

Herf N Turf said:


> Great project. Got me wishing I hadn't recently thrown out about a thousand bands.
> 
> "Mod Podge". Sounds like my life.


If you want to try this project out and just tossed your old bands, let me know what kind you'd like and I'll see if I have any! Have just about everything with duplicates too!


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## grammworks_adam

Very nice and a great idea. Might have to make one myself.


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## Matt4370

sh40218 said:


> Thanks Bill. I see I might have to make some
> of these for BOTL per request. Lol


Let me know, I will send you my bands.


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## sh40218

Matt4370 said:


> Let me know, I will send you my bands.


If you send me the ashtray and bands I could make it for you. I would actually really like to do another one, but haven't found any more crystal cigar ashtrays at the thrift shops.


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## jysport

That is a great idea! Looks great. I will be attempting that as well. Well done.


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## Mr. Shredder

Very Nice!


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## Btubes18

Pretty awesome...you can find some pretty amazing things at thrift stores and revitalize them.


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## TonyBrooklyn

Very NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:dude:


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## sh40218

Btubes18 said:


> Pretty awesome...you can find some pretty amazing things at thrift stores and revitalize them.


I've found tons of cool stuff at thrift stores. Air conditioners, Edenpure heaters, 2 Vintage Martin & Co acoustic guitars and tons of designer jeans. Only one crystal cigar ashtray though. Lol


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## Simon.G

Genius idea Spencer - you pulled it off really well! :nod:


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## sh40218

Thank you everyone for the nice comments, it means a lot. I'm finishing up my poster frame collage soon and I'll post the pics in this thread.


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## El_d

Really freekin sweet Spencer, Ilike that idea and may have to start saving my bands so I can do something like this....


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## sh40218

El_d said:


> Really freekin sweet Spencer, Ilike that idea and may have to start saving my bands so I can do something like this....


Thanks! My next collage will prolly be all CC's or Nica tobac bands. I want to make it in a shadow box to look a little different than just flat wall art. I don't peel my bands off most of the time I can slide them off. The idea is for the shadow box display I will have the bands in there round form. Instead of flat and collage I will have them in rows so you can see them easier and also see the RG. I'll post pics when I'm done.

PS: my poster collage has been finished for sometime but I have yet to post any pics. I will post some Monday night after work. It's been on display at Rain City Cigars for the last week or so. It's time to bring it home and fill up my empty walls. Hehe


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## atbat16

Awesome ash tray and idea, time to start saving those bands... 

and can't wait to see the poster collage.


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## sh40218

Here is the first pic of my 18x24 poster frame collage. I smoked every cigar for those bands in the collage. Crazy thing is I still have more bands left over. I'm starting a shadowbox of nicer bands, Pics will be posted here.


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## sh40218

Here is my 12x12 shadow box display for my cigar bands. It's almost done but I hadn't posted anything about it in this tread yet. Lemme know what you think. Thanks for looking!


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## jhedrick83

That looks awesome! I love it! Are you just pinning them to the back?


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## sh40218

jhedrick83 said:


> That looks awesome! I love it! Are you just pinning them to the back?


I'm actually using a 3M 1/4" double back adhesive tape gun. They are pink and about $35 at most craft stores. I used it for my poster collage as well.

They are removable this way so I can add new bands or swap out old ones. It's a fun way and my favorite method of displaying my cigar bands.


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## chief

Well done. Often wondered what to do with those cigar bands, many of them are real works of art in themselves always seems a shame just tear them off and throw them away or let them go with the cigar.


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## Jay_Rich

Awesome! Gives me something to save all mine for!

Jay


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## Es1topgun

wow, it looks awesome you did a great job making it... you should write DIY on it showing everyone here to make there own


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## sh40218

Es1topgun said:


> wow, it looks awesome you did a great job making it... you should write DIY on it showing everyone here to make there own


^^^^That's a great idea! I will definitely do that for one of my cigar band projects.

I save labels, ribbons & stickers from boxes of cigars too. They are usefull for all kinda of stuff in cigar art so don't stop collecting just bands. Lol. Not sure what project is next for me but I'll keep this thread updated.

Thanks for all your compliments and interest in these small projects!


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## sh40218

Here it is all finished!


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## Rook83

That is too cool! I'm not artistic at all, but I love it!


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## mcwilcr

Really cool idea! thanks for sharing.


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## atbat16

That thing is looking sweet, well done sir


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## A.McSmoke

Very nice...I have 2 coffee cans full of bands, haven't figured out what I'm going to make out of them yet. 

Great ideas with the ash tray & frame though...2 thumbs up


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## fdfirebiz

that looks great nice job. what i did with all my bands is i bought 2 picture frames with a tan or ivory mat and i used a small glue stick and glued all my bands first i laid them out then after i arranged them the way i wanted i started to glue them in like staggering them in rows im still working on them. i will post a pic when im done


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## T3Hunter

That looks amazing. I love the 3D effect of the still round bands. That is a project to be proud of.


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## jco3rd

Now I have a reason to give my wife for saving all my bands!


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## BigsmokeJ

Nice work.


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## bleber

Awesome job on the projects, as well as smoking some fantastic sticks!


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## sh40218

Thanks for all the compliments my fellow Puffers! I know my hard work is always admired here amongst you all. Most people would look at these projects and say, "you're going to get cancer!". Lol anyway I can't wait to see some posts and pics of your own projects. 

This shadowbox is my Fav, I love seeing them in rounds because that's the way they come on cigars. Also I want to thank Steve from Boeing as he showed his shadowbox and I had to make my own. 

Thank you again for all the inspiration! I'm always making something, a humi is next or maybe a cigar case....


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## CarnivorousPelican

sh40218 said:


> Thanks for all the compliments my fellow Puffers! I know my hard work is always admired here amongst you all. Most people would look at these projects and say, "you're going to get cancer!". Lol anyway I can't wait to see some posts and pics of your own projects.
> 
> This shadowbox is my Fav, I love seeing them in rounds because that's the way they come on cigars. Also I want to thank Steve from Boeing as he showed his shadowbox and I had to make my own.
> 
> Thank you again for all the inspiration! I'm always making something, a humi is next or maybe a cigar case....


This is what we do... We market these we get a chinese manufacturer to just copy the bands with a hi res scanner / printer then we just churn them out charging 23.99 an ashtray that we are getting for 3-5 bucks or we can use real bands, but we gotta mark it up a bunch and you gotta smoke a hell of alot more cigars  I really like your ashtray project.. I have a few crystal ashtrays those American Cigar ashtrays I really like the colors are so bright etc.. I don't see alot of hi res crystal ashtrays being sold to be honest and think there is definitely a market to exploit.. I dunno what the IPL is on the bands, but what we could do is just get a artist to create a picture from the bands and use that... 

Disclaimer: The pelican has many ideas that does not mean he is going to do them all nor will he market anything unethical or in violation of IPL... The above is just a off the top of the mind...


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## sh40218

Here are some updated pics of all my my cigar band projects.


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## Mac05

There are some really cool projects in this thread. I knew I'd been saving my bands for a reason... Now if only I could find something to do with all of these beer caps I have.


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## rise

Very coool stuff, bro.

For the ashtray, do you apply the bands all the way up the edges of the ashtray or just the bottom?


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## voiceoverguy

sh40218 said:


> I'm sure I'm not the only one saving bands in the event that they will replace the US currency.


Haha! I can only hope! I always thought I would try to save up enough bands to cover a bar top in my basement, but I've got a lot of smoking to do before I have enough. Maybe I'll head over to cbid....

Anyway, cool projects!


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## sh40218

rise said:


> Very coool stuff, bro.
> 
> For the ashtray, do you apply the bands all the way up the edges of the ashtray or just the bottom?


I put them all they way up the sides. I started from the bottom and worked my way up and out in no paticular order. I left a small border of glass at the four ends of the fingers(holders). Glad you liked the ashtray, it my first and favorite piece.


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## rise

Thanks, yes I've been considering something like this after receiving the crystal tobacco leaf ashtray. They only applied the Leaf on the very bottom though and I think the way you do it adds more "oomph" to the image. Do you have a pic from the side by chance?


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## OratorORourke

This is all very cool and inspiring. I am now on the lookout for over sized glass ashtrays!


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## slipknotcdn

Can you tell me the dimension of this ashtray? Height, width, depth etc? Looks awesome!


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## UBC03

Necrothread...how bout an intro. 

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


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## GunnyJ

I liked this so much I had to try it myself. Here's the results...I trimmed it up a little more after I took the photo because I noticed the excess paper in the upper right corner.


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## haegejc

GunnyJ said:


> I liked this so much I had to try it myself. Here's the results...I trimmed it up a little more after I took the photo because I noticed the excess paper in the upper right corner.


What a great idea. I have been saving bands for years not really sure what I was going to do with them. Great idea!!!!


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## bozoo

How did you make it?


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## UBC03

@Rondo 's daughter made me one.. Love it , but it doesn't get used.. Just talked about.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


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## Rondo

UBC03 said:


> @Rondo 's daughter made me one.. Love it , but it doesn't get used.. Just talked about.


Makes a nice nest for the duck.


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## GunnyJ

bozoo said:


> How did you make it?


 I saw what the guy on page 2 ( I think) did and just followed along. The application of the ModPodge is what got me, it seems simple enough but I'm a direct step 1, 2, 3 kinda guy...so what did I do? Drank some beer and went with it. I, like the other guy, put all of the bands on the bottom side of the glass facing up so using the ashtray won't damage them.

I used a foam brush to apply the ModPodge to the front of the bands then I placed them on the backside of the ashtray where I wanted them to be seen. Place them in order of precedence...first bands on the glass get the most visibility from the top. After each band was put on the ashtray I put a coating of ModPodge on the back...right or wrong I don't know...

So I let all that dry for a day and determined the underside looked like crap because of all of the seams from the bands facing up. So I ModPodged a bunch of bands facing out over the others using the same technique. I added some felt footers just because it seemed right.

An improvement I can make is making the upper edges where the bands meet the glass...those can be cleaner. But for a first try I'm happy with the results.


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## GunnyJ

haegejc said:


> What a great idea. I have been saving bands for years not really sure what I was going to do with them. Great idea!!!!


Not my idea bud...see the OP, that's where I got the idea from. That guy gets the credit for this cool idea.


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